One knife for life

Some things you always remember: your first kiss, your first car, your first knife. If your first knife happens to be a Roselli, it might also be the last knife you ever need to buy.

A knife is a big deal in the Nordic countries. The every person’s right gives people access to the wilderness, but you can’t fish, hunt, clean mushrooms or carve wood without a good knife. N

early half a century ago Heimo Roselli knew a good knife was hard to find and started to make his own. In 1976 he founded the company which bears his name. “Heimo Roselli spent years refining forging techniques and studying metals,” explains Pasi Helin, Managing Partner at Roselli.

“This led to a particular smelting process and work formula, which to this day is still a secret between Heimo and his expert craftsmen at the Roselli workshop in Harmoinen, Finland.”

THE TRICK WAS FINDING A WAY to make steel hard without being brittle and able to hold a razor-sharp edge while still remaining flexible. And, of course, the knife must be durable. Roselli takes their philosophy “one knife for life” seriously. Many companies use “planned obsolescence” as a business model, but Roselli plans for their knives to last a lifetime – and beyond.

“In Finland, knives are passed down generation to generation,” Helin continues. “Heimo’s belief has always been that every knife that Roselli makes should last a lifetime and hopefully be the only knife you ever need to own. That’s why we offer a lifetime warranty and free lifetime sharpening service.”

Roselli create their own steel, which they call Ultra High Carbon steel, to make blades with the exacting properties they require. Roselli also uses the highest quality Scandinavian curly birch for their handles and vegetable-tanned leather for their sheaths. Even their design process is no-nonsense.

“Many of our knives have had the same design for decades, developed through trial and error after years of use in the field,” Helin says. “We don’t develop new products just for the sake of it; there has to be a reason other than selling more. It’s not our thing.”

For instance, outdoorsmen used their hunting knives in the kitchen because they were better than their kitchen knives. Roselli noticed their need and developed knives better designed for cooking.

The Roselli craftsmen continue to make each knife and axe by hand using old school blacksmith techniques, but they aren’t afraid of modern technology and ideas. They use local materials to reduce their environmental impact, refurbish old knives as a circular economy solution and even have solar panels on their buildings.

The end result is a premium quality product instantly recognisable by the famous “H. Roselli” signature.

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